Back to Education Allowance

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020

Tuesday, 23 June 2020

Ceisteanna (787, 827, 828, 829)

Thomas Byrne

Ceist:

787. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the application process will open for the back to education allowance. [11671/20]

Thomas Byrne

Ceist:

827. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications for the back to education allowance received from 1 March 2020 to 1 June 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11975/20]

Thomas Byrne

Ceist:

828. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on conducting a review of the back to education allowance with a view to removing qualifying time criteria for those in receipt of Covid-19 related payments. [11976/20]

Peter Burke

Ceist:

829. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered amending the criteria for the back to education allowance to allow for the pandemic unemployment payment to be considered as a qualifying payment in relation to eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11999/20]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 787 and 827 to 829, inclusive, together.

The back to education allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. The main focus of the BTEA is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and improve their prospects of gaining employment.

In June 2020 there were approximately 6,300 students in receipt of the BTEA. Applications for BTEA are accepted throughout the year, however they tend to coincide with the commencement of the academic year. The vast majority of applications are received during August and September each year.

It is expected that, during the course of the accelerated Roadmap to recovery, as many people as possible in receipt of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment will return to employment prior to the commencement of the 2020/21 academic year. At the point of commencement of a new course of education a person previously in receipt of this payment will be required to establish an entitlement to a Jobseekers payment to qualify for the BTEA .

A potential BTEA customer will not be adversely effected by time spent in receipt of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment when it comes to calculating the qualifying period for BTEA.

The conditions under which the BTEA operate are designed to ensure that they address the objective of supporting longer term social welfare customers into employment. Any changes to the BTEA qualifying payments criteria would need to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education.

I trust this clarifies the matter.